DETAILING THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF INEQUALITY IN THE RURAL AREAS OF EDO AND DELTA STATES OF SOUTHERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Inequality in societies is a broad-based theme, which is subject to various socio-demographic 
contextualisations apart from gender. This study considers social inequalities in the rural areas of Delta 
and Edo States of Southern Nigeria, in the context of four social markers, which are gender, age, marital 
status and educational qualification. The study was carried out using 3,188 questionnaire copies 
administered in six (6) Local Government Areas (LGAs) of both states.  The results showed that although 
income did not vary significantly between males and females, F (1, 3186) = 0.915, p = 0.339, males had a 
higher mean income scale compared to females. This was observed despite women having significantly 
less input into decisions concerning farm and non-farm economic activities (p = 0.00). Women also 
reported higher working hours in the primary sector only (p = 0.00) and fewer sleep hours daily (p = 
0.69). In terms of age, middle-aged adults (40 – 59 years) and the elderly (60 years and above) had higher 
monthly income scales (p = 0.00), higher levels of input into decisions on farming activities (p = 0.00) and 
spent more hours in unpaid productive work on a typical day (p = 0.11) compared to the younger age 
groups. However, the younger adults (20 - 39 years) spent the most hours working on a typical day (p = 
0.00). In terms of marital status, married adults had the highest scale of monthly income (p = 0.00), 
perhaps due to support from their spouses. Widowed and separated/divorced adults had more input into 
decisions on household farming activities (p = 0.00). For inputs into decisions on non-farming economic 
activities and the use of income from non-farming activities, single adults had the highest scale (p = 0.00). 
Also, adults with no formal education and those with primary educational qualifications had a higher 
scale for monthly income and higher levels of input into decisions on farming economic activities (p = 
0.00), compared with those with secondary and tertiary educational qualifications. However, those with 
secondary and tertiary educational qualifications had more input into decisions on non-farming economic 
activities. The study recommends the re-orientation of family and community values to support the 
vulnerable groups in society, such as women, youths, the elderly and the widowed. It also recommends that 
indigenous skills aimed at sustaining livelihood be acquired irrespective of the educational qualification 
attained.